China: Iconic Shanghai skyline goes dark as drought hits power supply

The iconic skyline of Shanghai -- called The Bund -- will not be lit for two nights to save power, officials said, as per media reports.

The waterfront area - known for its mix of historical and futuristic buildings - is a popular tourist destination, BBC reported.

Elsewhere in China, major manufacturers in the Sichuan province said they had been hit by power cuts.

Large parts of the world's second largest economy face a severe drought amid a record-breaking heatwave.

In a notice on Sunday, the Shanghai Landscaping and City Appearance Administrative Bureau said buildings in The Bund, which are located along the city's largest river, will not be lit on Monday and Tuesday, BBC reported.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause," it said in the notice.

China issued its first national drought alert of the year last week, after areas, including Shanghai in the Yangtze Delta region and Sichuan in southwest China, experienced weeks of extreme heat.

The 'yellow alert' is the third most severe level on the official scale.

Officials in the Sichuan province, where temperatures have exceeded 40-degree Celsius said in a recent statement that rising temperatures and low rainfall, along with increased demand for air conditioning, had caused the power shortages.

The province has extended its power saving measures by five days to Thursday, according to media reports. These limit power supply to some industrial businesses.

German carmaker Volkswagen told the BBC that its factory in Chengdu - the capital of Sichuan - remains shut.

--IANS

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